Arrest made in West Oak Lane homicide linked to Craigslist-ad response

 Police on the scene of Friday night's fatal shooting on East Walnut Lane. (Matthew Grady/for NewsWorks)

Police on the scene of Friday night's fatal shooting on East Walnut Lane. (Matthew Grady/for NewsWorks)

[UPDATED Sunday, 10:53 a.m.]

Philadelphia Police report that an arrest has been made in the murder of Daniel Cooke, the 27-year-old Williamstown, New Jersey resident who was killed Friday night after answering a Craigslist ad.

 

 

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Thomas Coffee, 23, of Willow Grove was arrested Saturday and charged with the murder and related offenses. He has received prior jail time in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties on robbery, firearm, and theft charges.

Cooke was shot multiple times in West Oak Lane late Friday night.

Shortly after 11 p.m., police responded to reports of gunshots on the 1400 block of Walnut Lane near Hollis St.

Upon their arrival, they found a 27-year-old male laying face up on Walnut Lane with gunshot wounds to the head and right shin, said Chief Inspector Scott Small.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by medics at 11:23 p.m.

After scouring the surrounding area, police found two cartridge casings in a driveway that runs between homes on Hollis and Cornelius streets. Police said a trail of blood was visible from the driveway to where the victim’s body was found.

What led to fatal shooting?

The victim’s family members said at the scene that the shooting was the result of a Craigslist transaction gone awry; 6abc reported that he traveled from Williamstown, NJ with his girlfriend went to meet someone who was selling an ATV on Craigslist.

Small refused to speculate about a motive, but said that several witnesses were being interviewed by homicide detectives. He described one suspect as a male last seen wearing a white towel over his head.

According to NBC10, police have taken a man in for questioning that they are calling a person of interest.

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